Truth Part 2
by Birchwing
Summary: Now that the trio have unveiled the murderer, will they be strong enough mentaly to tell Hawkstar before the murderer kills again? But the worst thing is... will they be able to prove it? And if they do, what will the murderer's reaction be?
1. Allegiances

**BruchClan**

**Leader:** Hawkstar—brown tabby she-cat

**Deputy:** Vipertail—gray and white tom

**Medicine cat:** Robintail—solid brown she-cat

**Warriors:**

**Adderstrike**—gray and white tom

**Appleleaf**—light ginger she-cat

**Badgerclaw**—black tom

**Jayfeather**-light gray she-cat with faint stripes

**Bluefoot**—blue gray she-cat

**Fleckfur**- tortishell she-cat

**Cederfur**- dark gray tom

**Minnowpelt**—silvery gray she-cat

**Shadowclaw**- gray tom

**Rockface**- dark gray tom

**Icecwind**- gray tabby tom

**Kestreltail**-light brown tabby tom

**Duskpelt**- dark gray tom

**Dawnbreeze**- lighter gray she-cat

**Blackfrost**—black she-cat

**Apprentices:**

**Hazepaw**—gray tom

**Rushpaw**—gray tabby tom

**Vinepaw**- brown tabby tom

**Reedpaw**- gray tom

**Sparrowpaw-** ginger and white she-cat

**Queens:**

**Cindertail—**fluffy gray she-cat  
** Hailkit-** fluffy gray she-kit  
** Leafkit-** light brown tabby she-kit  
** Falconkit-** black tom(Bark&Vally)  
** Ravenkit-** black tom(Bark&Vally)

**Elders:**

**Nightbreeze**—black she-cat

**Maplespots**—brown dappled coat, oldest cat in the Clans, she-cat

**Rosepetal**—ginger she-cat


	2. A murderer

**Hello everybody! This is Truth-part 2**

**

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Sparrowpaw's eyes stretched wide. "It was Vipertail!"

"What?" Reedpaw and Vinepaw exclaimed in unison.

Reedpaw steped forward. "You realize you're challenging our father-and _deputy_- about his role in the murders of at least two cats?"

"Yes!" Sparrowpaw hissed. "But don't you see? Vipertail has gray and white fur. You yourself told me what he said about rouge cats, and how he felt about Lillyeye. Plus," Sparrowpaw added, "he's not exactly the forest's greatest father. Haven't you ever thought something might be wrong?"

She searched anxiously both her brothers' faces. "Vinepaw, it was you who wanted to figure out the mystery. Don't tell me now you regret it because our dear ole deputy may be the cause of it."

Vinepaw shuffled his paws. "Well...maybe you were right- who are we to question the dep-"

"And what are three younge apprentices doing in their dens now? It's well past sunhigh."

The deep voice of Vipertail stung the air.

Sparrowpaw whiped around to see their father staring at them. His lumonous eyes glinted in the dark. With out even realizing it, Sparrowpaw had begun to glare and bristle.

Reedpaw nudged her.

Vipertail was returning her glare. "See something pretty?" he snarled.

"No," Sparrowpaw meowed tensly, "just something worth less than fox dung." She pushed past him and practicly ran to the nursery.

"Back so soon?" Cindertail meowed.

"Uh.. yeah. My brothers and I are playing a game, that's all." She held her ear up against the brambles. "Okay, they're gone. Er- bye Cindertail." She sliped out padded straight to Minnowpelt, who was grooming herself in the shade.

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Vipertail looked angrily at his sons. "Does she know something I should?"

Vinepaw shook his head. "No." Reedpaw looked at his brother admiringly. Usualy it was him who remained calm, but when he was face to face with a murderer- and deputy and father who hates you- he lost his cool.

Vipertail snorted, as if he didn't really belive that, and turned away.

Reedpaw turned to his brother. "Okay. Now what?"

"Er- we go find Sparrowpaw. Honestly, I thought she was going to attack him!"

Reedpaw gave a dry laugh. "She should have."


	3. Threats

**Okay- lets see what happens next!**

* * *

Vinepaw and Reedpaw had to go on battle training. They hadn't for awhile now-due to their spontanious dissapearences- and could use the touch up. Badgerclaw and Bluefoot had suggested they battled against eachother. It would give the mentors a change to evaluate them.

Vinepaw and Reedpaw padded slowly behinde their mentors.

"How are going to reveal him?" Vinepaw asked.

Reedpaw flicked his ear. He had thought of another cat suddenly, but he wasn't sure about telling Vinepaw. He'd tell Sparrowpaw later. "Well...aparently blurting it out won't work..."

"Well we need to prove it. We can't justt tell Hawkstar her deputy has murderd her old deputy, a rouge and a few rouge born cats in the other Clans. She'll laugh at us or slice us open right then and there."

Reedpaw looked at his brother. _You're so stubborn._ "Then how do we tell them, mouse brain?"

Vinepaw neatly avoided a large rock in his path. "Well... maybe we can trick him into it. Telling the Clan, you know?"

Reedpaw must have looked deep in thought, because Vinepaw was staring at him again. Reedpaw looked up. "You know what I don't get? If Vipertail is on the hunt for rouges, then why hasn't he killed Falconkit, Ravenkit and Rosepetal yet."

Vinepaw thought for a moment. "Maybe because they're kits and she's an elder and his formor mentor."

Reedpaw wasn't so sure. Vipertail-aparently- could sink to verry low levels. "We'll see."

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Sparrowpaw was bored out of her mind. Vipertail's punishment was _supossed_ to end today- he was going to tell her when she was free, and he has disapeared into the forest- but when has Vipertail ever done anything by the rules?

Sparrowpaw went to the elders' den. Maplespots and Nightbreeze looked up.

"Good morning," Maplespots mewoed. Sparrowpaw touched noses with bot she-cats and went to clear out the moss. "What's damp?" she asked.

"Just the moss on Rosepetal's nest." Nightbreeze began to nose the base of her tail.

"Tick?" Sparrowpaw asked depressingly.

Nightbreeze nodded. "But I can get it myself, no need for you to do extra work.

Sparrowpaw had a mouth full of moss and blinked her thanks to the kind elders. She padded out of the camp to dump the moss. A scent surrounded her that made her spine shiver.

"And what are you doing out of camp?"

Sparrowpaw turned to face Vipertail.What she _wanted_ to say was, 'What are _you _doing out of camp?'

"I'm just doing the elders' chores. I'm going to find more moss for Rosepetal."

Vipertail's eyes held some emotion. It made Sparrowpaw nervous. "I think you'll be going back into the camp. I think you and your brothers are going to make more _nasty_ little rumors about me. I don't think I deserve that, do you?"

Sparrowpaw was carefull not to let her hard stare turn into a glare. She said nothing.

Vipertail tilted his head. "I didn't think so," he meowed coolly.

Sparowpaw began to pad back to the camp. _You'll have to tell Rosepetal._ His eyes clearly knew what she was thinking. 'Oh I will' flashed in them.

"Oh, and Sparrowpaw?" His voice slid out of his throat. Sparrowpaw turned.

"I wouldn't recomend you telling the Clan about our conversations. You and your brothers are verry attatched to Duskpelt and Dawnbreeze aren't you?"

Sparrowpaw stood wide eyed. Was he really threatening what she thought he was? She turned tail and fled back to the camp.

* * *

**Oohh what next?? I don't know. smiles give me a day!!**


	4. Another one

**I would like to repeat what my reviwers say about Vipertail--ISSUES. He is one messed up cat.**

**Thanks for all the reviews too! I appreciate(sp??) them!**

* * *

"Come on! You can do better than that!" 

Vinepaw was gasping for air. Never had he had to fight two cats at once before. Badgerclaw thought it would be good for him to learn what pressure is to a warriorr. Reedpaw was on one side of him, Badgerclaw on the other.

"Vinepaw? Where's all your fighting spirit? You've always got extra."

Truth was, Vinepaw was getting tired. He tried to imagine what it was like in a real battle, with real warriors tring to rip him to sheds. A new energy began to bubble in his stomache, for the thrill was exiting. He sprung forward and let his paw smash on top of his brother's head. Reedpaw went down, but Badgerclaw jumped right after him.Vinepaw blinked and ducked in a quick movment. He slid away from the two cats.

"Take this!" Charging head on, Vinepaw crashed into Badgerclaw, who was standing up. "Better run Reedpaw!" He called.

Reedpaw let out a yowl and began the chase. Vinepaw felt the wind buffet his ears as he pelted toward his brother. Reedpaw suddenly stoped. Vinepaw let out a surprised yowl and had to jump over his brother to avoid hitting him. He landed on his paws, but skidded a rabbit length on. "Hey!"

Reedpaw began to walk back. "I heard Bluefoot calling." He explained.

"So?"

Reedpaw flashed his brother an annoyed look. "_So _we have to go to her. Come on."

Vinepaw snorted indignantly but followed Reedpaw all the same. After at least five boring minuets passed before Vinepaw cold make out Bluefoot's pale pelt and Badgerclaw's muscular size. He was beggining to get nervous.

"Why do they look so disstressed?" Reedpaw asked him.

Vinepaw was about to snap, "How would I know?" but instead meowed gravley, "We'll find out soon enough."

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Bluefoot was shaking and when she saw the two apprentices, she whirled around. Reedpaw flinched at his mentor's expression. She looked scared and angry and hurt all at once.

"What happened?" Vinepaw asked. Reedpaw watched both warriors' faces. Badgerclaw was the one who spoke.

"We know that neither of you two did this, so don't worry. But we need to to go back to the camp and tell them we found a dead cat on our territory."

"What?" Reedpaw exclaimed, "Another?" He swapped a look with Vinepaw, who was looked as if he might be sick.

Bluefoot nodded. "Yes, it's Snowflick."

Reedpaw blinked. Snowflick of MossClan? "What's she doing on our territory?"

Badgerclaw snorted. "Just get back to camp and tell them we've found Snowflick on our territory. We'll be bringing her in after you. _Go!_"

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Sparrowpaw didn't say anything. She wasen't prepared to talk until her brothers got back from training. Rosepetal had snapped at her because she didn't have a nest, and -thankfully- Maplespots told her to sleep in her nest. The the elder got Fleckfur to get her moss for a nest. Fleckfur was her daughter and always happy to help her.

Suddenly, Sparrowpaw looked up. Something was wrong. Her ears pricked as both her brothers bounded into the camp. Sparrowpaw sprang to her paws. "What's happened?" she asked.

Reedpaw gave her a grave look. "You'll find out."

Vinepaw was already speaking with Hawkstar, alarm bright in both cats' eyes. Hawkstar leapt onto the HighRock. She didn't even need to call the Clan; they wer already surrounding her from the two apprentices' apperence.

"Badgerclaw and Bluefoot are bringing back another cat's body," she paused as the cats began to mew fearfully, "It is Snowflick of MossClan."

Instinctivly, Sparrowpaw scanned the crowd for Vipertail. He was not there.

Duskpelt spoke up. "But MossClan cats are always respectful of boundries."

Dawnbreeze seconded her brother. "What's she doing here?"

"Maybe she had a message from Ripplestar, and a MossClan cat didn't want anyone to hear it!" That was Cederfur.

"Don't be stupid, " snapped Fleckfur. The tortishell she-cat shot a glare at Cederfur. "You just accused a MossClan cat of murdering one of their own cats. You have no idea if she was murderd or just died."

"Perfectly healthy cats don't just _die,_" Shadowclaw meowed coolly.

Fleckfur hissed.

"Shut up mouse brains," Icewind spat.

Badgerclaw and Bluefoot suddenly appeared, carrying a white she-cat. Sparrowpaw craned her neck-like the other cats- to see the body. There were scratches all along the she-cat's side and one of her hind paws looked like it had been dislocated. Sparrowpaw saw Cederfur shoot a triumphant look at Fleckfur, who hissed again.

Robintail hurried forward. "Let me through, let me through," she muttered passing by cats.

"I don't think your herbs will help her now."

Every cat turned their head to see Vipertail standing by the fresh kill pile. Sparrowpaw saw him shove a mouse into the pile and then join Robintail by the dead cat. Sparrowpaw narrowed her eyes. Something was wrong. She knew it.

Robintail gave the deputy a cold look. "I'm trying to find out what did this to her."

Vipertail narrowed his eyes. "Why should we care? Shouldn't we just throw the body back onto MossClan territory? She's not our problem."

Some cats hissed angrily, others looked like they agreed. Sparrowpaw wasn't sure what she was doing, but she jumped to her paws. "No! We have to find out who killed her. Then a patrol should take her back to MossClan. We need them to know we didn't kill their warrior." Hawkstar- and the Clan- stared at her. Sparrowpaw shuffled her paws in embarrasment.

Vipertail's tail lashed. "Noisy apprentices should be seen, not heard. It's not up to you-"

"Vipertail, cough up that hair ball and sit down." Hawkstar's hard glare turned to her deputy. "She has as much right as you to speak." Hawkstar turned back to Sparrowpaw. "I agree with you. But I need to ask, does any cat know anything about all these murders?"

Sparrowpaw's heart froze. _I know everything! Please let me tell you!_ She shot her brothers a look. Reedpaw shook his head. In Sparrowpaw's mind, she heard his voice, _Now is not the right time._

She sighed.

* * *

**More commen!**


	5. MossClan

**Vipertail's going crazy. Hmm... the plot thickens**

**((sorry it's taken so long-- real life put me on hold!))**

* * *

Reedpaw blinked. Something was wrong. Why _was _Snowflick on their territory? He didn't want Sparrowpaw to blurt out the seceret now; they didn't have enough evidence. They couldn't just accuse some random cat without an explination. 

Vinepaw was glaring at him though. "What are you doing?" he hissed. "We can expose him now! Why tell Sparrowpaw not to?"

"Now's not the right time," Reedpaw meowed calmly.

"I don't care!" Vinepaw had raised his voice. "We should tell-" he stoped abruptly after realising how loud he was. A few cats turned their heads to him.

"Vinepaw?" Hawkstar asked.

Vinepaw flashed his brother a scared look. "Er- I was just... maybe the reason all these cats are getting killed is because... well... er..." his gaze shifted between both siblings. Reedpaw held his breath. "Er well, Snowflick was a rouge born, right?"

A hush fell in the cats. Vinepaw flashed a nervouse glance aroung the camp and gave a little shrug. Reedpaw saw Vipertail's eyes narrow at their direction.

"Yes, I belive she was. Why?" Hawkstar asked.

"Well... so have the other cats that have- uh died." Sparrowpaw meowed, helping out Vinepaw.

Hawkstar's eyes narrowed in thought. "You both may have a point..." she trailed off in thought. Then she snapped back to life. "Uh, Robintail, your report?"

Robintail stared at her leader. "She was killed by the death blow. See right here behinde her neck."

Hawkstar nodded. "A warrior's blow. Jayfeather, Icewhisker, Sparrowpaw and Redwing; bring back the body to the border-_don't cross it_. Wait for a patrol and explained how she was found on our territory. Then get yourselves out of there. They may get hostile."

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Sparrowpaw kept her wits about her. The four cats were nearing MossClan territory and though MossClan are the more understanding of Clans, this was not a good situation.

Sparrowpaw scented MossClan...probably a patrol. Icewhisker lifted his head too. "Alright, here we go." They padded right up to the border, and Place Snowflick's body gently down on the MossClan territory.

Four cats appeared out of the tall mossy grass. Sparrowpaw reconized Ivywind, Rabbitpaw and Windfur, but the last cat she didn't know.

Ivywind began to bristle. "Snowflick!" she wailed, bounding forward. She dragged the body back quickly, as if afraid the BrushClan cats were going to keep her from her friends. Rabbitpaw eyed the other Clan suspisiously.

Redwing steped forward. "Please let us explain what happened."

"You killed her! That's what happened!" Ivywind spat.

Windfur, the highest ranking in the cats hissed softly. "Tell us what happened."

Jayfeather meowed softly, "Two of our warriors found her in our territory. We have no idea who did this to her, or even what happened."

"We thought it was best to return her to you." Icewhisker twitched his nose.

The MossClan cats exchanged glances. Windfur steped forward, asserting her dominence. "Alright- we belive you. BrushClan cats are not known for lying. We will explaine to Ripplestar. Don't be surprized if he does or doesn't say anything about it at the next Gathering."

Redwing diped her head. "Fair enough- but I want you to know, BrushClan didn't do this."

Ivywind let out a quiet snort. Sparrowpaw sunk her claws into the earth. _A BrushClan cat did do this!_ she wailed silently.

* * *

**Vipertail sighs maybe they will stop you...**


	6. An attack

**You know what these things need? SPELL CHECK-- I'm a HORRIBLE speller**

**I do not own warriors...dang.**

* * *

Reedpaw kept his distance from Vipertail the next day. Sparrowpaw practicly dragged Minnowpelt and Kestreltail out the thorn barrier to patrol. Vinepaw and Badgerclaw were on a hunting patrol with Fleckfur. All Reedpaw had to do was avoid certain cats... and he- 

"Hey Reedpaw!" Bluefoot's bright meow surprised him. He turned to face his mentor. "I got Rushpaw and Shadowclaw to train with us," she meowed.

Rushpaw and Shadowclaw were padding to them, Rushpaw bristling with exitment; Shadowclaw looking rather bored.

The four cats set out in the forest. They made their way to the ShallowRiver and began to cross. The ShallowRiver was part of the larger river that BrookClan lived by. The ShallowRiver marked the edge of BrushClan territory. The ShallowRiver breaks in two and part of it rus through PineClan territory, blocking off a small clear hunting space. BrushClan cats often snuck over there because no PineClan scents lingered there. All of PineClan can't stand water, and the area is so small they don't seem to care. BrushClan uses the territory as a training ground.

"Alright!" Rushpaw pelted through the water and emerged on the other side to shake his long tabby fur dry. The other three crossed more slowly; Reedpaw winced as the water uncomfortably soaked his belly fur. He was not found of water much either.

"Attack me!" Rushpaw meowed.

Reedpaw moved forward slowly. He stoped about two rabbit lengths away and began caculating his attack. Rushpaw had all four paws spreadout on the ground. He's be pretty solid from a frontal attack...

_I could rush at his side and knock him over... Or maybe I should jump over him and-_

"I'm waiting!" Rushpaw dragged out the word in a friendly-but tauntung- way.

Reedpaw raced forward. Rushpaw stood on his hind legs and waited to crash down on Reedpaw. But Reedpaw swerved to the side and knocked into Rushpaw, unbalencing him. Rushpaw landed on his stomache with a quiet thump.

Reedpaw pinned him down and let out a play growl. Rushpaw suddenly pushed upward and sent Reedpaw flying across the grass. He landed in a roll and sat up, flicking a bit of moss from behinde his ears.

"Alright, you got me!" he meowed, standing up. Rushpaw bounded forward and met Reedpaw beside Bluefoot and Shadowclaw. Shadowclaw gave a small dip of his head in aproveal to his apprentice. Bluefoot was beaming. "Great! Now, let's split up for a second; I'll do an attack move on Shadowclaw- you both watch and try the move on each other after."

Reedpaw sat down and watched his mentor, glad for a moment, he could concentrate on something other than Vipertail.

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Sparrowpaw, Minnowpelt and Kestreltail were sniffing around the border. MossClan had been keeping their distance scince Snowfall's death, Sparrowpaw reflected. Minnowpelt raised her head, "Well...they either think death awaits them if they come near their own borderline, or they don't care about borders."

"Which do you think it is?" Kestreltail meowed flicking her playfully with his tail.

Minnowtail narrowed her eyes thoughtfully. "Well," she meowed, oviously trying to sound like she _was trying to sound_ serious, "I think they just don't care. I think we scared Ivywind pretty badly, don't you?"

"Oh, I heard she was shaken in her fur," Kestreltail purred.

Sparrowpaw blinked her eyes in silent laughter. These two may be serious warriors, but the siblings were still apprentices at easy going times.

Suddenly, Sparrowpaw pricked her ears. A dark tabby pelt was shifting through the ferns behinde them. Sparrowpaw thought she scented BrushClan and for a moment thought it was Vinepaw. "Er- I think I scented mouse," she meowed. "I'll be right back."

Minnowpelt nodded in aproval, and Sparrowpaw began to stalk forward. She followed the cat for awhile, sure now it wasn't Vinepaw. He seemed to be leading her somewhere. _StarClan! _She had heard stories of StarClan sending their cats while a living one was awake- if the message was that importent.Was it possible it was happening to her?

No. She stopped short. Something in her head told her this was not a StarClan warrior. "Who are you?" she hissed. The cat- now only a few rabbit hops ahead of her- turned dark amber eyes on her.

"StarClan!" She meowed, suddenly verry frightend.

Vipertail turned his body to face her head on. She now saw the tabby fur was mud, plasterd on him.

"Get away from me murderer!" she spat. Vipertail's ears flicked. In a voice that oviously was changed to discuise him, he meowed, "So you know I'm the mystery murdering tyrant? What an honor for me to be discovered by you and your brothers. Let me return the honor..."

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Vinepaw opened his mouth and drank in the scent. He couldn't stop himslef from bristling at the piney scent. "PineClan just passed by," he reported. Fleckfur opened her mouth and recoiled in discust. "PineClan are getting too close to our border, Badgerclaw."

The black tom curled his lip. "Well, we can't do anything unless they cross the border...all we can do is report to Hawkstar."

Vinepaw sunk his claws into the ground. How _dare_ PineClan even threaten to cross their border? BrushClan never did that to them!

Badgerclaw flicked his tail and Vinepaw snapped out of his thoughts. He and Fleckfur stood up to follow. Vinepaw noticed the thin tortishell was emenating fear. He could smell it. What was she nervous about? _Afraid the big bad PineClan cats might come and get you?_ he taunted her silently. But Fleackfur gave no sign she heard his thought insult.

Vinepaw ran over to the small birch tree and dug up his mice. Three mice proudly caught for the Clan. He carried them back to Badgerclaw and Fleckfur, who were also digging up their caught prey. They went back to the camp.

Apon entering the camp, Vinepaw imidiatley knew something was wrong. Icewind, Dawnbreeze and Blackfrost were bristling near the nursery; Appleleaf and Robintail were crouched in the medicine cat den; Hawkstar and Vipertail were at the mouth of the warriors' den. Hazepaw was letting out a quiet whine. Rockface let out a quiet snarl as they three cats entered the camp, but he then relaxed.

"StarClan are messing with us..." the old warrior meowed gravley.

Badgerclaw looked at him quizzicly. "What's happened?"

"Sparrowpaw's been attacked."

* * *

**Hmm... what to make of this...**


	7. Warriors

**I would like to thank my reviwers for all of your positive reviews. I;m happy you all like my story and hate Vipertail as much as I do.**

**Also, I'm trying to undate as often as possible, so keep cheacking in**

**((also, please know that this book will be shorter than the first one--I'm not ending it for another few chapters though, and I think you'll all like the ending.))**

* * *

Vinepaw bounded forward. Sparrowpaw? Attacked? Who would do that to her? Why would anycat- 

He stoped sharply. His tabby head whiped toward the leader's den. Vipertail was looknig anxious, which was surprizing as he didn't care much for any of his kits. So...maybe he _didn't_ attack Sparrowpaw.

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"No!" Sparrowpaw snapped.

Vinepaw was in the medicine cats den looking down on his sister. She had three long slashes on her side, a bloody hind paw, and smaller scratches along the rest of her body. And that was only her left side.

Robintail gave Vinepaw a small glare. "I'm going to have to ask you to leave if you keep getting her worked up."

"Sorry," he muttered as she left the den. Then he turned to Sparrowpaw. "You're sure it wasn't a rouge?"

"Yes!" She hissed. "It was Vipertail; he'd covered himself in mud to disuise his pelt and scent so I wouldn't guess it was him. But it was!" She had lowered her voice. "And he'd caught my attention on purpose...I," she hesitated, "I think he was planning on killing me, Vinepaw."

Vinepaw snorted. "But you're not a rouge."

Sparrowpaw looked him straight in the eye, and he saw her fear swimming in her own green pools. "But I know too much- and he _knows _I konw."

That made sence._ Mouse dung!_

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Sparrowpaw couldn't belive it. After three days of lying in the Medicine den, she was finally allowed to leave. But that wasn't what was bothering her; the fact that the Clan were out searching for a 'rouge warrior' who attacked her was infuriating. It was Vipertail-and she and her brothers all knew it.

Once Reedpaw had heard her story, he knew it was Vipertail. Vinepaw knew it too. But they still couldn't just blurt it out...or could they? A plan was begginging to form in her head.

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"Just like that?" Vinepaw sounded astonished. "You couldn't come up with a more complex plan?"

Reedpaw was nodding his head though, "No...no...I think it's perfect. It'll seem like we never ment to tell anyone; it just happened." He liked the plan's simplicity and respected the genious in it.

Sparrowpaw was beaming. "Good! Then we'll start it the next time he murders."

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Unfortunatly, there had been a quarter moon past, with no activity from Vipertail. Sparrowpaw was beggining to wonder if they should just tell it straight out to the Clan. But Sparrowpaw was stubborn. She was sure he would go about his plans sooner or later.

"All cats old enough to catch their own prey, join here beneath the Highrock for a Clan meeting."

As the Clan gatherd, Hazepaw and Rushpaw sat themselves at the front of the group. Sparrowpaw bounded up to them. She touched noses with both. "Good luck, both of you. I'll be watching." Rushpaw purred, and Hazepaw shot his brother a teasing look.

Sparrowpaw padded back to her brothers and sat down.

Hawkstar jumped down from the Highrock and landed infront of the apprentices. "I call apon my warrior ansestors to look apon these apprentices. They have trained hard to learn the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as warriors in their turn." She nodded encouragingly to Hazepaw.

"Hazepaw, from this moment on, you will be known as Hazestripe. StarClan honor your loyalty and courage and we accept you as a full member of BrushClan."

Hazestripe respectivly licked his leader's shoulder, then steped back. Hawkstar turned to Rushpaw. "Rushpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Rushtail. StarClan honor your inteligence and your bravery and we accept you as a full warrior of BrushClan."

"Hazestripe! Rushtail! Hazestripe! Rushtail!" The Clan chanted the new warriors' names exitedly.


	8. Reveal

**Hello everybody!**

**I don't own warriors...Sigh**

* * *

"Adderstricke is dead! Adderstrike is dead!" Dawnbreeze and Icewind bounded into the camp. 

Hawkstar-and the startled Clan- jummped up. "What?"

Dawnbreeze was panting heavily, so Icewind meowed, "We were on a hunting patrol, and we stumbled apon a badger. It was attacking Adderstrike. We though he was alive, but he wasn't... the badger's killed him."

Hawkstar looked around the camp. "Bluefoot, Appleleaf, Shadowclaw and Cederfur; follow Icewind and drive that badger out! The bring back Adderstrike if he isn't mauled."

Vinepaw ran out of his den, Sparrowpaw and Reedpaw behinde him. The den had gotten more room since Hazestripe and Rushtail's ceremony.

"Adderstrike, dead?" Sparrowpaw whisperd.

Reedpaw was odviously thinking, because when Vinepaw looked at him, he could see his brother's face screwed up in concentration. "Why would Adderstrike die?" he mumbled, "He's Vipertail's assistant..."

"Well, he was killed by a badger. And that's _not _Vipertail's fault."

"Not nesseserily," Sparrowpaw meowed to Vinepaw. "What if Vipertail lured his brother to the badger, hoping it would kill him, so that he- Vipertail- would look like a grief stricken sibling. Maybe he sacrificed Adderstrike because he needed to throw off suspision."

Reedpaw was staring forward. Vinepaw turned to see what he was staring at. He let out a gasp of surprise. Near the back of the camp, where the nursery is, Vipertail was sliping through the wall back into the camp. Sparrowpaw hissed. Vipertail's expression was not in grief...but _satisfaction_. Could that mean Vipertail really _did _sacrifice his brother? Vinepaw shuddered.

"Oh StarClan," Sparrowpaw whispered.

-----------------------------------

"Thankfully, Bluefoot, Appleleaf, Icewind, Shadowclaw and Cederfur drove the badger out of our territory. It was headding for the small thunderpath." Hawkstar leapt down from her spot on the Highrock and began to pad to her den, flicking her tail to Vpertail.

"Vipertail!" Reedpaw's head snapped to his brother. _What are you doing?_

Vipertail turned his head slowly. "Yes?" he hissed, dragging out the 's' like a snake.

"How come you aren't upset over his death?" Vinepaw was on his paws now, the entire Clan staring at him.

Vipertail narrowed his eyes. "I am- but I choose not to show it. Besides we were never that close."

"Odviously not, if you're prepared to sacrifice him to badgers," Reedpaw muttered, but he was sure he said it louder than the usualy mutter. Appleleaf, Rockface and Hazestripe turned their heads to look at him curiously.

"Fine," Vinepaw meowed coolly. "What about Sparrowpaw? You were never distraught about her. You didn't even show you cared."

"Of course I cared." He snapped, "I'm deputy- I have to care."

"But you are her father too. I'm sorry but I just expected more feeling out of you."

Vipertail looked close to fury point. But Hawkstar sliped in, "Vinepaw? What is the meaning of this?"

Vinepaw shrudgged. "I just thought you'd all like to know some things about you_ wonderfull_ deputy. And the Rouge Clan cat killer."

Now all eyes were on him. Reedpaw cast a glance with Sparrowpaw. This was not how they planned it. Vinepaw was changing the rules.

Hawkstar cast a glance at Vipertail, who had eyes for nothing but his bold son. She flicked her tail to the apprentice, signaling him to get on the Highrock. Reedpaw motioned to Sparrowpaw, and they followed their brother. It was dead silent.

"Wait a second!" Vipertail bounded forward, "they're going to tell you nasty little lies about me because they don't like what a father I've been to them! They are all liers! Those worthless little-" Kestreltail, Badgerclaw and Bluefoot blocked his way.

"Sit!" Hawkstar commanded her deputy. "I want to know what they have to say."

-----------------------------------

It was now. This was the time they had been waiting for. Sparrowpaw nodded to Vinepaw to speak first. All three were on the Highrock, looking down at their Clanmates.

"BrushClan," Vinepaw meowed, "we have evidence that it is Vipertail who has been murdering these cats."

They waited for the roar of confusion to die down. Hawkstar leapt to her feet and let out a yowl so loud, it echoed in the camp. The cats fell silent. Two more warriors padded up to surround Vipertail, who hissed at each in turn.

"Well? What's the evidence?" Vipertail challenged.

Vinepaw glared down hard at him. "When Lillyeye was killed-"

"No mouse brain, she _died_." That tart meow came from Jayfeather.

He turned his head to stare right at her. "That's what you all were suposed to think. But I knew something was wrong. Reedpaw and I looked around the RootTree and found claw marks on the bark, of two cats both trying to keep their balences. Then we found black and white fur- which Sparrowpaw later identifyed as gray and white fur- so we had two suspects. Adderstrike of Vipertail."

Reedpaw steped forward. "It became apparent who it was after I herd Vipertail talking with Adderstrike. He said all rouge borns in the clan were scum...they were worthless, he wouldn't care if they all died- things like that. Adderstrike just looked uncomfortable. When Bark and Valley werre attacked, I think is when Vipertail used Adderstrike as an assistant. They injerd Valley to the point of her death and hurt Bark fair enough. But the kits survived, and we were wary that he would kill them too; and Rosepetal-" there were gasps in the cats-" but they were kits, she was his mentor. We knew he couldn't kill kits, he'd probably wait 'till they were older. And since Rosepetal was his mentor and an elder, we figured he would just let StarClan take care of her."

Sparrowpaw meowed, "And then he treatened me that if I told anycat in the Clan, he would kill Duskpelt and Dawnbreeze."

Both cats, and Honeypelt glared at the tom-along with several others.

"And remember when Snowflick died?" Sparrowpaw asked, "Well we figured out what happend to her. Vipertail crossed their border when she came by, attacked and killed her there, then dragged her onto our territory."

Cats hissed and spat at Vipertail who snarled at all.

Sparrowpaw narrowed her eyes at him. "Then he discuised himslef as a rouge by rolling in mud to change his fur and scent. He was the one who attacked me; either because I knew too much, or he wanted to throw suspision off himself when his daughter was murderd-or both. And finaly, we think he lured Adderstrike to the badger to make it seem that since his daughter and brother ware attacked, he was an innocent victim of StarClan."

There was silence, and then, "Let me rip his throat out!"

"I'll dirve him out of the territory myself!"

"Huh! I'll KILL him myself!"

"Yeah! That's what he deserves; death!"

"SILENCE!" Hawkstar's booming command silenced every cat. "He is no longer a member of this Clan. We will run him out of here, and if after sun-down, he his on our territrory-kill him. By all means, kill him."


	9. update allegiances

**The next chapters explain what happens to every cat after Vipertail's exile.**

* * *

**Leader:** Hawkstar—brown tabby she-cat 

**Deputy:** Badgerclaw—black tom  
Lillypaw

**Medicine cat:** Robintail—solid brown she-cat  
Leafpaw

**Warriors:**

Bluefoot—blue gray she-cat

Kestreltail-light brown tabby tom  
Falconpaw

Cindertail—fluffy gray she-cat

Fleckfur- tortishell she-cat  
Hailpaw

Minnowpelt—silvery gray she-cat

Icecwind- gray tabby tom

Duskpelt- dark gray tom  
Ravenpaw

Blackfrost—black she-cat

Hazestripe- gray tom

Rushtail- gray tabby tom

Vineclaw- brown tabby tom

Reedwind- gray tom

**Apprentices:**

Hailpaw- fluffy gray she-cat

Leafpaw- light brown tabby she-cat

Ravenpaw- blak tom

Falconpaw- black tom

Lillypaw- white she-cat with bright green eyes

**Queens:**

Dawnbreeze- lighter gray she-cat  
Snowkit- white tom  
Firekit- ginger she-kit

Jayfeather-light gray she-cat with faint stripes  
Bramblekit-white she-kit with faint stripes

Sparrowflight- ginger and white she-cat  
(pregnant)

**Elders:**

Shadowclaw- gray/black tom

Maplespots—brown dappled coat, oldest cat in the Clans, she-cat

Rockface- dark gray tom

Cederfur- dark gray tom


	10. Afterward

**The next chapters explain what happens to every cat after Vipertail's exile.**

* * *

Sparrowflight burried her nose into Rushtail's flank. He purred and licked her tenderly between the ears.

"I can't wait," he told her again. She could feel the kits stir in her again. It was the stranges feeling in the world.

It was now twelve moons since Vipertail was exiled. Sparrowflight had felt her heart lighten imidiatly that day when she and her brothers revealed him for the fox dung that he was. For six moons, his last words to them had rung in her ears: "Vinepaw, your confidence will kill you, Reedpaw your weariness will destroy you, Sparrowpaw...I don't care what happens to you. You killed your mother...I hope you live a long haunting life, where every whisper in your dreams will be me."

Sparrowflight had always been told by him that she was the last born, and therfore, the one who killed his mate. She had been visited by Featherwing in her dreams before, and her mother had told her again and again, she was not at fault. She had been relived of her biggest pain.

Then, the moon before last, a patrol -Blackfrost, Hazestripe and Vineclaw- had reported Vipertail's body on the thunderpath, after so many moons of inactivity of monsters, one managed to strike down her nightmare.

Sparrowflight now was sharing the nursery with Jayfeather-mates with Badgerclaw- and Dawnbreeze- mates with Icewind- and their kits. Sparrowflight loved to tease Reedwind about his closeness with the apprentice Hailpaw. Blackfrost and Hazestrip hade been getting closer over the moons.

It was hard to say, but Appleleaf, Rosepetal and Nightbreeze all joined StarClan. Appleleaf caught greencough last leaf-bare, while the two elders joined StarClan of natural age. Maplespots is still the oldest cat in any Clan and some of the kits belive she will never leave them...however, Sparrowflight was afraid the kind she-cat would be leaving them in a few moons.

Young Firekit bounded up to Sparrowflight and Rushtail. She wiggled her short tail.

"Hi, Sparrowflight!" she mewoed, "how are you kits? I'm getting bored with just olaying with Snowkit and Bramblekit. We can't think of any games.

"They're not here yet," Sparrowflight meowed, noseing the kit. "Go back to your mother now, tell her I'll be in, in a moment."

The ginger kit nodded and bounded back to Dawnbreeze.

Again Rushtail licked Sparrowflight tenderly. "That will be some other she-cat telling our kit to go back to her mother soon."

"Yes," Sparrowflight agreed, blinking in the warmth of green-leaf.

-------------------------------

Vineclaw sliped back into camp. He saw his sister and Rushtail laying togeather; Sparrowpaw was getting plump and begining to look like a kitty-pet.

He was heading to the fresh-kill pile, when Falconpaw bounded up to him. The black tom bounced exitedly. "Duskpelt wanted to know if you;d battle train me today; he's in the medicine cat den with my sister." Falconpaw and Ravenpaw were never told of their true heritage; they both-and Hailpaw and Leafpaw- thought they were all blood siblings, never questioning their parents.

"Sure, let me get a mouse to eat and then we can go to the training area." He followed the rouge born Clan cat with his eyes as he ran away, and felt anger bubbiling inside him. How could Vipertail have hated these cats enough to kill them? They were loyal to the Clan and would give their lives for eachother. Lillyeye, Stonereed and Snowflick, and any other cat he'd murdered were all wonderfull examples of that.

Then a stab of pain hit him, as he relised, had he not revealed his father, Falconpaw and Ravenpaw would probably be dead by now. That was hard to imagian.

He padded to the fresh-kill pile and took a mouse. He finished it in about three bites. "Falconpaw!" The black apprentice looked up from his conversation with Leafpaw and nodded. He touched noses with his sister and bounded forward.

"I'm ready!"

"Good," Vineclaw purred, "come on then!"

They race through the forest and soon reached the small river. Falconpaw and Vineclaw ran through it and landed on the mossy earth beoynd.

"Alright," Vineclaw meowed. "You're on defence, I'll attack. Remember, you'll want to look for where I'm looking, because that's where I'm most likly to attack-" he stopped, relizing Falconpaw's face was screwed up in concentration, trying to pin point the best spot to attack. Vineclaw purred, remembering how he did that to Badgerclaw. "Falconpaw!"

Falconpaw jumped, "Oh, sorry!"

Vineclaw laughed. "Come on then: attack me!"

-------------------------------

Reedwind padded over to Hailpaw, one of the oldest apprentices. "Hello there," he meowed.

"Hi!" Hailpaw jumped to her paws. She and her brothers and sister would become warriors in three moons. "Guess what Fleckfur is teaching me today?"

"What?"

"How to catch a rabbit- and then tommorrow, Hawkstar is taking me, Falconpaw and Ravenpaw to the MoonFlower!"

Reedwind purred. "I remember when I went with Sparrowflight and Vineclaw. I'll never forget that day."

The MoonFlower was a pretty flower at the edge of MossClan territory, that had a silver-blue look to the petals. It never seemed to run out of velvety leaves, that leaders and Medicine cats eat to speak with StarClan.

"You'll have an amazing time." he encouraged.

Hailpaw touched his nose with hers. "I know. But I wish you were with me."

"Nah, you'll have fun anyway." He turned to pad to Hawkstar's den. He let out a quiet meow to let them know he was there.

Badgerclaw apeared, "Yes Reedwind?"

"I want to take out a hunting patrol; who do you want me to take?"

Badgerclaw scanned the clearing. "Er... take Icewind and Lillypaw. And if she hunts well, report to me. I need to evaluate her soon."

Reedwind nodded and turned around. Icewind was just emerging from the warriors den, and Lillypaw was laying on her back against the stump, playfully batting at Ravenpaw's nose, who was crouching on the stump. He decided to give them a minute.

So instead, he padded to Sparrowflight, who was standing up and padding away from Rushtail, who looked like he was going to the medicine cats den.

"Sparrowflight!" he called. The ginger and white she-cat looked up. "Reedwind, how are you?"

"Oh I'm fine...how...uh...are you?" he asked staring at her swollen belly. It was still hard to belive that his little sister was having kits. But he knew they were no longer kits or apprentices, but young warriors. It seemed that Vipertail had bonded the siblings though his sadistic plots, but all three had come through their battle, stronger now.

"I'm doing great," she purred, then looked seriously at him. "You're thinking about Vipertail aren't you?"

Reedwind tickled her nose with his tail. "Must you read my mind?"

Sparrowflight purred. "Yes," she meowed simply. "It's odd, isn't it? To be free from him? I never thought...well, I always knew we would reveal him...Well, not always...but I never seemed to think what would happen after that. I never knew we could reveal the..." she trailed off in her memories.

Reedwind knew how she felt. But there were no words to that emotion. Greif, pain, exitment, freedom, terror, he could go on an on. So, he mearly pushed his nose into his sister's side and meowed, "truth."

* * *

**What do y'all think?? I'm considering writing a shorter story about Falconpaw and Ravenpaw, discovering where they really come from. Should I?**

**Thanks for all the reviwes guys! I really appreciate them!**

**Birchwing**


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